The Connectivity Innovation Network (CIN), an initiative developed by NSW Telco Authority, has announced the launch of WANFi Technology Pty Ltd, a new startup specialising in integrated wide beam antennas and high-capacity Wi-Fi nodes.

WANFi’s founders first forged their strong partnership through their work on the CIN’s Rapidly Deployable Large Area WiFi (LAWiFi) Project, one of CIN’s first pilot initiatives launched in 2022. Supported by NSW Telco Authority, the pilot was led by researchers from the University of Technology (UTS) and the University of Sydney (USYD), in collaboration with Pivotel Satellite, NBN Co and OneWeb. The initiative developed advanced custom antenna designs and an innovative Wi-Fi protocol stack, significantly enhancing connectivity coverage and reliability in underserved and remote areas.

The WANFi team has decades of world leading expertise in antenna design and wireless communication networks.  Their new WANFi system features portable integrated wide beam antenna and Wi-Fi nodes supported by jointly optimised software. It supports up to 100 users over a 1.5km range with data rates of up to 100Mbps. The system is equipped with satellite connectivity options such as Starlink or Ethernet and addresses critical connectivity gaps in underserved regions.

WANFi Technology will soon be launching its brand-new system, providing competitive solutions for emergency response teams, remote communities and large-scale events. This development reflects the potential of research-driven solutions to deliver tangible benefits for NSW and beyond.

“The launch of WANFi Technology is an exciting milestone for the CIN,” said Jay Guo, Technical Director of the Connectivity Innovation Network. “It is the result of a collaborative relationship that was formed through one of our first pilot projects, which necessitated true innovation, and ingenuity to achieve the ambitious outcomes set by the CIN. It is an excellent example of the real-world impact of our collaborative approach to solving connectivity challenges.”

“WANFi’s collaborative roots stem from the CIN’s Rapidly deployable LAWiFi Project. It manifests the value the CIN delivers as a facilitator and incubator of genuine and meaningful partnerships between academia, industry and government,” said Prof Yonghui Li, Co-Director of WANFi Technology. “We’re eager to expand on our collaboration through our new startup. We will continue to innovate and create novel connectivity solutions to address the current market gaps, for those who need them most.”